Garment clasp



1. M. COWAN GARMENT CLASP May 30, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1945 May 30, 1950 l. M. COWAN GARMENT CLASP Filed May 28; 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. Irma/l1 6011 0/72, BY W M1 d-m Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention is concerned with improvementsin a clasp or fastener particularly adapted for use on wearing apparel or other articles of cloth or fabric.

A principal object is to provide a very thin fastener which securely grips the fabric and does not puncture or tear the same.

A further object is to provide a simple, light weight, easily made fastener of thin hard durable metal which is r-uggedly constructed of relatively few parts and which can be manufactured cheaply and in large quantities.

A more specific object is to provide a fastener having a member adapted to be readily secured to a garment or the like, and, cooperating, pivotally mounted members, adapted to engage and securely grip a portion of another garment.

Other objects will be apparent from thefollowing specification which describes a specific embodiment of the device, by way of example, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the fastener engaged on a garment edge;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the opposite side of the fastener;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the fastener as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the fastener in open position with the garment edge in position for engagement;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the fastener in partially closed position;

Fig. 6 is a view showing part of the fastener in the position shown in Fig. 1, but to a larger scale;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the fastener in open position;

Fig. 8 is a view illustrating a blank cut out to form one of the fastener members;

Fig. 9 is a view, with the clamping members broken away, illustrating a modified form of a fastener member;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the clasp used with a garment hook fastener member; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the garment hook fastener member per se.

My fastener comprises three members, stamped and formed from thin sheet metal, a securing or fastening member In and cooperating gripping members H and I2. The securing or fastening member H), which is adapted to be secured to a garment, is generally U-shaped in form, having a base I3 and legs l4. On or adjacent the ends of the legs M are located outwardly extending pins or trunnions i5. Intermediate the ends of the legs it there are provided inwardly directed pins or trunnions it. One gripping member H is provided with journals H which receive the pins IE to hingedly connect the members. The other gripping member 12 is provided with journals i8 which receive the pins i5 to hingedly connect the members. Gripping member I! comprises a garment engaging portion having an aperture l9 adapted to receive the free end of gripping member l2 and a portion 20 which carries the journals H. The gripping member i2 comprises a garment engaging tongue or free end portion 2] and laterally spaced parallel legs 22 on the ends of which are located the journals Ill. The free end 2! of member I2 is adapted to be received within the aperture E9 of the member H when the gripping members are in fastening engagement with the garment. The lip or tongue portion 2! (Fig. 5) is provided on the end of member I2 for greater surface engagement with the face of the end portion 24 of member Ii.

The member H is pivoted to member l0. Member l2 has a pivotal connection with member ID, which includes specially constructed journals for receiving the pins Hi. The construction of the journals is more clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8. Referring to Fig. 8, there is depicted a blank from which member I2 is formed. Each leg 22 has a portion -26, 21 cut away at the end terminating in a cam surface 23 on one leg and abutment stop 29 on the other leg. When the journals are formed by curling back the ends of the legs over the pins it of member Iii, the members are so proportioned that there is sufficient frictional engagement between the surfaces 26, 21 and the adjacent edges of the legs M of the member ill to, first, lightly resist relative movement of the members it and I2 about the pivot pins, then, to provide increased friction between the members, as they are moved toward each other, about their pivots, by engagement of the left leg hi, as seen in Fig. 6, with the cam surface 28, and finally, a positive stop as the right leg i4 engages the stop surface 29 as seen in Fig. 7. The purpose of this construction is to control the movement of gripping member l2 by movement of the member i t. In the specific construction illustrated the engagement of the leg M with the cam surface 28 forces or spreads the legs 22 apart and due to the resiliency of the material the friction between the members is such that the member [2 will be held in the position with respect to member It to Which it has been to the arment. more clearly illustrated in Fig. 11, but itis obvimoved. The engagement of leg M with the stop surface 29, of course, stops the movement of member l2 in a predetermined position with respect to member id.

The operation of the device will be understood from Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In Fig. 4 the gripping members II and ii are shown in open position approximately at right angles to the member Ii! and separated to receive between them the garment edge or portion to which the fastener is to be applied. As seen in Fig. 5, movement of the member H3, which functions as a manipulator member, about the pivot iii carries the member l2 toward the member ll, projecting a-portion of the garment through the aperture i5. Further movement of manipulator member is about the pivot it causes the gripping member ii to move inwardly and then upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 3 where the garment is securely locked between the surface 2i, 2% of the v gripping members i2 and M, respectively.

My fastener is particularly adapted for use in s'eouring'o'n'e garment in relation to another, such asa 'ladys skirt and shirtwaist. Fastening membet it! may be attached to either garment in any "suitable manner while the gripping members are rhovedjirito closed position to engage an edge or foldofthe other garment.

My fastener may be used also as a hose support or belt fastener. Fig. 9 shows a modified form a fastener member iiia having an eye 353 be threade'd'and secured.

In Fig. 10 there is ilustrated an alternative use of the clasp fastener device wherein a separable hook fastener member at is provided which is intended to beattached to a garment by sewing 4 or similar attaching means. The garment to which it is'attached may be, for example, a shirtand-used separately. The clasp is more readily manipulated when the member ii! is not attached The hook fastener per se is oils that it need not take the specific form there illustrated.

"throughwhich a hose supporter or belt web may It will be understood that the fastener may be made of materials other than thin sheet metal. The relative size and shape of the clam-ping members may be changed, as well as the thickness in cross section without altering the operation of the fastener or the principle of the invention. While the fastener as illustrated is preferably made by stamping from thin metal, it may be made by other well known manufacturing methods.

I claim:

A'fastener device comprising a member having spaced parallel legs, outwardly directed trunnions on said legs and inwardly directer trunnions on said legs in parallel spaced relation to said outwardly directed trunnions, an apertured clamp member pivotally mounted on said inwardly directed trunnions, a clasp member having an offset tongue adapted to be engaged in the aperture in said apertured clamp member and laterally spaced journals pivotally received on said outw'a'rdl-y directed trunnion's, the inward-edge of one of said journals having a cam surface the inward edge of the other of said journals having a stop member, whereby, upon movementof-said clasp member-and said clamp member about said trunnions to disengage the tongue of the former rom engagement in the ape'i'atu're "of the latter, the said cam-surface is first engaged by the adj'acent edge-of the one leg and thestopmem ber is subsequently engaged by'the adj acent cdge of the other leg upon predetermined further movement of said clamp member to control tne mevement of the clasp'member with respect to the clamp membe! and to stop the same'inposition for proper reengagement.

IRMA M. COWAN.

REFERENCES O ITED The following references are of record in the 

